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AD candidate pool narrows, down to 'short list'

A month ago, 40 candidates were in the running to be the next University of Georgia athletic director.

Now, there are fewer than a dozen.

According to Dan Parker, a partner with Atlanta-based Baker-Parker and Associates, the search firm has narrowed the field to a ''short list'' and is on schedule to recommend about a half-dozen candidates to the UGA search committee charged with trimming the list to three to five finalists.

UGA President Michael Adams then will interview the finalists and will hire an AD, Parker said, likely by year's end.

Adams has been at the heart of a simmering controversy that began last summer when he refused to renew longtime Athletic Director Vince Dooley's contract, which expires June 30.

Adams has said he'd like to cut down on transition time by hiring a director before Dooley's contract expires. And, Adams said during a Tuesday media briefing, he'd like Dooley's successor to visit what Adams considers some of the country's top collegiate athletic programs, including Stanford, Ohio State and Florida.

Parker declined to say whether any of the remaining candidates have ties to UGA. During the last couple months, Damon Evans, UGA's associate athletic director, and Greg McGarity, aformer UGA assistant athletic director, expressed interest in the job.

Parker did say some candidates are from outside the college sports arena.

Parker's statement came one day after Dave Hart, athletic director at Florida State University, pulled out of consideration for the UGA post. Hart did not return telephone calls seeking comment, but according to Parker, he never was an official candidate.

''We did speak to him, but Dave was never a committed candidate, nor were there ever any interviews arranged,'' Parker said. ''We have no idea where this information came out.''

UGA Associate Provost Jere Morehead, who chairs the search committee, refused to discuss details of the hunt and said the committee has yet to officially meet to narrow the field.

''I'm surprised that Dan (Parker) would even say that at this point. We're not at a point where we can say it's a short list,'' Morehead said. ''Obviously, I think he's referring to individuals he anticipates we'll have a much larger interest in.''

The athletic director is responsible for the administration and direction of the university's athletic program, which has 21 intercollegiate teams (nine men's and 12 women's) and has an annual budget of about $45 million.